[alimunnik]

Steel yourself for some earth shattering revelations this week. While we mere mortals have been squandering the precious few hours allocated to us speculating about a Freescale 7448 PCU and with all the modest enhancements this would entail, the engineers at Apple have been quietly working behind the scenes formatting our beloved PB for the new mobile generation of IBM's vaunted G5 chip. Having been bitten and mauled by chip manufactures with a penchance for promising more than they could possibly hope to deliver, our fearless leader, SJ, has opted for the safe road and will spring a technological surprise that will have Apple aficionadoes mumbling to themselves, ''Nano Who?''.
The new G5 PB's will be the corporate standard bearer until the Mactels put in a much delayed appearance perhaps at next years end. Prophets of Doom, such as Randman, will have no option but to repair to monastaries where they shall remain sequestered in a permanent digital silence.

[Stradlater]

mosr zat u?

[pgreenwell]

Are you serious? No way this is happening

[Sage]

Could you possibly be more vague?

[mrmister]

What an insipid post.

[meta-phor]

I love the word insipid and I shall make it my word of the week!!

I am going to be in the market to upgrade my 800 G4 ibook this xmas hopefully and if this is true (not sure if is) then its going to cause me major conundrums!!!

[imacgeek]

yeh the daul G5 poerbook is coming out next april to July but not this christmas

[redheadfred]

hahaha

that'd be hot.

[alimunnik]

I don't think my post was insipid. Quite to the contrary, it was truly inspiring and gives potential PB owners something tangible to hope for.
Let's face it; the present versions of the PB have fallen so far behind the cutting edge curve that for Apple to release a revision with such modest enhancements as the 7448 chip promises would be a bit of an embarresment. A few months ago, with the prospect of an intel PB premiering in the first half of 2006, it didn't seem to make much sense to develop a G5 PB. However, recent rumblings indicate that it might take a wee bit longer to get the intel model out in the market, and for the PB to remain a credible seller during the interum, it might need something with a little more oomph than Freescale can serve up.
Apple has yet to sever ties with IBM, and if it is feasible to bring a mobile G5 chip into production it might yet make economic sense to unleash a PB with obvious tremendous market appeal.

[Jacob]

It wouldn't make sence. It would confuse users. Especially with the upcoming transition. But you never know....

[Mr. Blur]

Originally Posted by alimunnik

I don't think my post was insipid. Quite to the contrary, it was truly inspiring and gives potential PB owners something tangible to hope for.

yes, it was, and truly inspiring it wasn't. it was written as if it was based on "fact" or some kind of "inside info" when in reality it is just a pipedream in your head.

[Artful Dodger]

Do you write the blurb on the back of books for a living?

[Jacob]

It took away my hope that some people have brains in this world.

[brokenjago]

hm. I'll wait till wednesday before I post my thoughts on this post.

A G5 PowerBook would certainly warrant an event like this.

[redheadfred]

stop! you're not making these days go any faster!

there are going to be quite a few upset people out there if it's something simple...

[Helmling]

Originally Posted by alimunnik

Steel yourself for some earth shattering revelations this week. While we mere mortals have been squandering the precious few hours allocated to us speculating about a Freescale 7448 PCU and with all the modest enhancements this would entail, the engineers at Apple have been quietly working behind the scenes formatting our beloved PB for the new mobile generation of IBM's vaunted G5 chip. Having been bitten and mauled by chip manufactures with a penchance for promising more than they could possibly hope to deliver, our fearless leader, SJ, has opted for the safe road and will spring a technological surprise that will have Apple aficionadoes mumbling to themselves, ''Nano Who?''.
The new G5 PB's will be the corporate standard bearer until the Mactels put in a much delayed appearance perhaps at next years end. Prophets of Doom, such as Randman, will have no option but to repair to monastaries where they shall remain sequestered in a permanent digital silence.

Your source for this would be?

[analogika]

Originally Posted by brokenjago

hm. I'll wait till wednesday before I post my thoughts on this post.

That is probably a good idea.

[habibman]

A flair for fiction... so rare on forums

[brokenjago]

hm. Thinking more about this, I've realized that this would be a knockout punch for Apple. A G5 in a PowerBook.... everyone would buy that, even if it was Rev -400 and $30,000,000. I know I'd buy one.

And again, it certainly would warrant an event like this far more than a simple 7448 drop-in replacement.

I'm not getting excited until Wednesday, and that's only if it does happen. Which it might. Maybe. You never know. Apple have done stranger things (music players, anybody?)

[PeterKG]

I said in another post, it won't be a G5 PB introduced on Tuesday, but it will be the Mac with Intel. They will introduce it way ahead of 2006, because they have been working on it way before they announced the switch.

[analogika]

no.

[brokenjago]

I really highly doubt it's going to be an Intel Mac. There's no way they can keep it that secret. They'd certainly have to notify developers of the announcement, because as far as I know, none of the big productivity applications have been ported properly (Photoshop, Office, Flash, etc). So even if they did announce it, you'd basically have the OS plus a bunch of small apps independant devs have ported... it'd basically be useless for most people.

Originally Posted by analogika

no.

Yeah, What he said.

[alimunnik]

While my predictions are not based on scientific and verifiable facts, they are certainly not any more ''out of the park'' than all those brave predictions cooked up by rumour sites with supposedly ''inside'' connections. If most of these sites are to believed, we would have had upgraded PB's at our disposal months ago.
I would think that IBM has many advantages in economies of scale over Freescale in the development of processors that would represent a real upgrade on the PB front. It seems as though over the last several years Freescale has lost the drive and incentive to seriously upgrade their G4 chips, whereas a mobile G5 chip was definitely on the radar screen, at least up to the time of SJ's Intel announcement.
An early intel PB would also be a thunderclap, although I suspect more time is needed to get this into production, and a release right now would raise many software issues.

[brokenjago]

Do you've basically just told us there is absolutely no factual basis to your rantings.

Way to get people on your side.

I might also add that ThinkSecret and AppleInsider usually have Apple employees or other informed sources tell them the news they post, and they're usually right, at least a bit.

If most of these sites are to believed, we would have had upgraded PB's at our disposal months ago.

If I remember correctly, most of the rumor sites (ThinkSecret in particular) ALSO noted that Apple engineers were having problems with the PowerBook revisions and that they were being delayed because of them, and that these challenges might also cause the entire revision to be scrapped.

[OogaBooga]

Thinksecret and AppleInsider actually do have sources. Apple employees aren't very hard to come by...

[brokenjago]

Originally Posted by alimunnik

While my predictions are not based on scientific and verifiable facts...

Pray tell, what are the differences between regular facts and "scientific" facts? Also, we never asked them to be verifiable... rumors generally aren't.

The simple (scientific?) fact is, you've posted what seems to be pure speculation as a fact, and then proceed to admit that it's speculation, while continuing to press the importance of this "fact" onto us.

It's not going to work.

*sigh* It seems I couldn't resist the temptation to comment before Wednesday. Oh well.

[teney7]

Originally Posted by PeterKG

I said in another post, it won't be a G5 PB introduced on Tuesday, but it will be the Mac with Intel. They will introduce it way ahead of 2006, because they have been working on it way before they announced the switch.

Maybe we'll feel like idiots after Wed, but I am thinking the same thing, I posted earlier in another forum too...

[alimunnik]

The ''facts'' are that something major is coming down the pipe this Wednesday. Since it's been just a few weeks since the Nano release, many are sceptical that this will involve anyting on the iPod line. Since the PB is by far most in need of a major upgrade, focus has naturally centred on it. The last few upgrades on G4 products have been so uninspiring that the latest upgrade to the Mac Mini passed almost unannounced.
If the PB is indeed to strut into the limelight on Wednesday, it must certainly be for more weighty reasons than just another incremental G4 upgrade. A G5 would seem a better bet than a intel PB at this time, and would certainly create a lot of excitement. It's hard to imagine the PB plodding along with the outdated G4 for the better part of another year. It is also retarding the timely upgrading of other product lines, such as the iBooks.
The introduction of a G5 PB may not be the soundest of product strategies, but the time has definitely come for the rapid phasing out of the G4 in its present form, especially in such an elite line as the PB.

[capuchin]

That would be "The G5 Powerbooks are coming". And no. No, they're not.

[brokenjago]

The only fact you have decided to bestow upon us is that there is something major in the pipeline, and that is STILL speculation, although it's widely agreed to be the case.

What if they use this venue to introduce upgraded PowerMacs with Dual-Dual Core G5s? It's possible that they'll introduce a video iPod, and it's possible they'll introduce 10,000,000 other things. It's probably not going to be a PowerBook G5.

[robertj]

People, people... our good friend Alimunnik is just trolling. Don't give him the satisfaction.

I hope he's right, even though I expect a 7448 in the Powerbook I buy on Wednesday (with luck). I'd actually prefer a 7448 over a G5, as even a low-power G5 to use even more energy than the current 7447A (Yes? No? I'm just assuming). The battery life of the current generation of Powerbooks is as anemic as the clockspeed. But a real low-power G5 would be great. It's just unlikely.

I can't see an Intel-based Powerbook being feasible. Even supposing that Apple's R&D were there, and that Intel would somehow supply them with the chips they've been developing for (I don't think it'd be easy to plug in a current Intel chip if Apple's been preparing for Yonah or Merom), x86-compiled software isn't available. Now maybe the Intel chips are so fast that Photoshop will run at comparable speeds via Rosetta. But I doubt it. That's a lot of ducks to get in a row.

Anyway, if Alimunnik is right, he just got lucky. That's clear. So it's no credit to him either way.

[powerbook911]

Given the ship times on the 12-inch Powerbooks have not changed, I'm worried they may update the 15 and 17, but not update the 12-inch (effectively dropping it before too long).

What does everyone else think? The 12-inch is a completely different design, being based on the iBook, so many of the updates they could do for the 15 and 17s, they couldn't even do on the 12.

[mduell]

Originally Posted by powerbook911

Given the ship times on the 12-inch Powerbooks have not changed, I'm worried they may update the 15 and 17, but not update the 12-inch (effectively dropping it before too long).

What does everyone else think? The 12-inch is a completely different design, being based on the iBook, so many of the updates they could do for the 15 and 17s, they couldn't even do on the 12.

I think the 12" PowerBook will switch to a widescreen (WXGA) as soon as the 15/17" also move away from 100dpi. I think Apple will keep a 12" laptop in their pro lineup, because it seems to be relatively popular.

[brokenjago]

The 12" Powerbook needs an update. Badly.

[freudling]

I think Wednesday will bring an iPod Video model with a larger, crisper screen. This would be inline with their vision of catering to our lifestyle. Although some may argue video is not so cool on portables, I feel it is the future, just like music was when it hit the streets with the Sony Walkman. Why can't we listen to our music and have the option to watch a movie, music video or video podcast? The implications are huge. Subscriptions... These things could project powerpoint presentations as well with supporting mpegs. A swiss army knife of sorts. I just wonder if the iPod will morph into the latter or perhaps they will distinguish it by releasing a PDA, which, in my opinion, they should do. And there, the only other thing they might perhaps release is a PDA. But, I am calling it: a video iPod, it just makes sense.

Oh and, a G5 PowerBook, Ha!...

[havocidal]

i don't care whether if the threadstarter is speaking the truth... i loved the way he put it...

[analogika]

Originally Posted by freudling

But, I am calling it: a video iPod, it just makes sense.

no. Not without full LEGAL video downloading/archiving/ripping architecture akin to iTunes and the iTMS, none of which exists.

[mrmister]

alumnik is funny, with all his crack smoking.

i wished i lived in a universe where g5 powerbooks would appear automagically because it would be cool.

[wulf]

Of course there's no way Apple would introduce a whole new mobo & architecture for a G5 powerbook, only to scrap it after one or possibly two revs for an Intel machine.

It's possible (though I don't expect it to happen) that they could introduce some kind of tablet, re-worked iBook or other form factor, based on an Intel chipset. Since OS X and iLife are already running on Intel, there is a complete package there to tempt basic consumer-level users. I don't think they'll do it - it's really too soon - but it is possible.

[havocidal]

well... all things r possible... like the nano... no one saw it coming... and also the intel machines... which apple has been running for e past 5 yrs and keeping under the wraps...

seems like 2005 has been full of surprises coming from apple...

[urrl78]

I had to post this from a different computer to cover my tracks. The code name for the 17" G5 laptop project was called "Sizzle Demon", and considering the heat output of the CPU, well, it made sense. Of course, our team as hell bent on cramming a G5 into a 17" Powerbook. It was too great an idea not to try. There were all sorts of crazy ideas as we brain stormed in groups every day trying to "think outside of the box". When the design team finally came up with something that would fit inside the Powerbook we hastily manufactured the first prototype and plugged that bad boy in. Within 5 minutes it made a sickly sizzling sound and suddenly burst into flames. We were all somewhat discouraged, but after a few months one idea finally seemed practical enough to try again. We wiped the smokey smut from our faces and went to work. Finally the second prototype was ready. Even Steve was even there, crossing his fingers with the rest of us as we connected the power source and gave the honor of pushing the laptop's power button to Mr. Jobs. At first he hesitated, knowing what happened to the last prototype, but after assuring him that there was no danger, at least for the first two minutes, he quickly poked the button and tip toed backward to where the rest of us had retreated. The Apple display came to life and there were "Oohs and Ahhs" all around. When the desktop appeared to be complete we all cheered and applauded, while I noticed a broad smile on Mr. Jobs that I had never seen on him before. Some of the female techs were even in tears, having worked very hard on the project for long hours.

Suddenly there was a high pitched whine that emanated from the unit. The screen scrambled, then went completely black. We watched in silence for about three seconds, until there was a loud "PAK! PAK! PAK!". We all took a step or two behind Jobs, who seemed too stunned to move. There was a very loud BANG and when the acrid smoke began to clear I could make out Jobs coughing with the LCD frame of the unit hanging around his neck. Fortunately, aside from a layer of black soot covering his face he seemed OK. At the moment the project is on hold, gathering dust on some forgotten shelf while we all try to get on with our lives.

I am sorry to say there will only be small increments in out next G4 revisions. After the G5 bombed we were all so dogged out after realizing we had spent so much time on it that we could only make minor revisions, due out possibly next week. When you all see there is no G5 you will at least know why. You all have my deepest sympathies.

[DKeithA]

balderdash.

[freudling]

analogika:

There is nothing stopping anybody from loading video podcasts to iTunes if they so desire to publish their stuff that way. Moreover, if you own a DVD, there is nothing stopping you from ripping it and loading it onto your video pod, etc.

[analogika]

Originally Posted by freudling

analogika:

There is nothing stopping anybody from loading video podcasts to iTunes if they so desire to publish their stuff that way. Moreover, if you own a DVD, there is nothing stopping you from ripping it and loading it onto your video pod, etc.

Yes, there is: Any commercial DVD is protected by CSS encryption, and circumventing that is ILLEGAL, despite the fact that you're entitled to a safety copy.

There is currently no legal way to transfer movies other than home movies to your iPod.

[alimunnik]

After rising at the crack of noon and concluding my daily therapy with the hookah pipe, I braved to access the MacNN forum and read the inevitable heap of scorn and derision aimed at my poor head. I will say that I pray to never encounter any Forum members in any unlighted alleyways. Some members have interpertred my speculations as sheer acts of sacrilege, as though I were commenting lightly on the Second Coming.
Personally, I would be quite content with a 7448, rather than a G5 upgrade.
There has been a state of conundrum ever since Apple launched the G5 iMac, thereby bypassing the professional line PB from its rightful place in the pecking order.
Heat has been the main issue delaying the mobile G5 processor, a major but not insurmountable technical obstacle.
There are many obvious advantages to having a G5 PB. It would restore the luster to a product line that is fast becoming a butt for jokes.
Having a G5 PB would take the pressure off Apple in coming up with an Intel version in the shortest possible period of time.
The other G4 product lines (iBooks, eMacs, Mac Minis) would be able to benefit from more noteworthy upgrades once they no longer have to compete with PB's on the processor scale.
If the miracle transpires and a G5 PB does make its debut, it would be far from me to assume any type of credit. It's been quite a while since my crack induced reveries have been interrupted by a telephone call from SJ urging me to whip down to the plant in order to comment on new developments there.

[Chuckit]

[stevesnj]

We will see an Intel based PeowerBook before a G5 PowerBook...I wouldn't buy one anyway...if it took them this long to resolve heat issues than this would be a result of just getting to work good enough to put into production. I believe a G5 PwerBook will be their most unreliable machine they ever produced.

[Al G]

Originally Posted by urrl78

The code name for the 17" G5 laptop project was called "Sizzle Demon", and considering the heat output of the CPU, well, it made sense. ... There was a very loud BANG and when the acrid smoke began to clear I could make out Jobs coughing with the LCD frame of the unit hanging around his neck.

I love it!

As for the original poster, urrl78's parody, while exaggeration, illustrates the thermal problems with a laptop G5. Yes, IBM announced low power G5s, but there's two separate problems with them. First, they are slower than existing G4s. Also, they probably don't exist except on paper, as some sort of a face-saving, "see what we could have done if Apple didn't ditch us" maneuver. A low power 1.6GHz G5 would have been nice two years ago but now, IBM is just embarrassing themselves. Far too little, too late.

The G5 in a Powerbook--actually the lack of--is exactly why Apple is switching to Intel.

[gururafiki]

Originally Posted by Al G

The G5 in a Powerbook--actually the lack of--is exactly why Apple is switching to Intel.

Not to mention that the industry is leaning towards power consumption for notebooks. As mentioned above, a low power G5 is slower than a G4. And why would Apple put a G5 in a portable when all signs point to a low power, dual core Intel chip for notebooks? And don't even think 64-bit will answer that question, because Intel inside also means 64-bit inside.

[mrmister]

"I braved to access the MacNN forum and read the inevitable heap of scorn and derision aimed at my poor head. I will say that I pray to never encounter any Forum members in any unlighted alleyways. Some members have interpertred my speculations as sheer acts of sacrilege, as though I were commenting lightly on the Second Coming."

Well I hope that doesn't refer to me—I just think it's funny that you would actually, seriously post (repeatedly, mind you) that a G5 powerbook is coming, when that is actually about the one thing we can be assured WON'T happen on Wednesday.

"Personally, I would be quite content with a 7448, rather than a G5 upgrade."

That's good, since one is plausible and the other is fantasy.

"Heat has been the main issue delaying the mobile G5 processor, a major but not insurmountable technical obstacle. There are many obvious advantages to having a G5 PB. It would restore the luster to a product line that is fast becoming a butt for jokes."

Why do people who post delusional posts always do this? Post as though it's a CHOICE not to have faster chips? As though Apple perhaps hasn't yet realized, "oh...the PowerBook is *slow*! That's the problem! We should stop delaying the release of this G5 chip which had major (but, apparently, not insurmountable) heat issues!"

"If the miracle transpires and a G5 PB does make its debut, it would be far from me to assume any type of credit."

Well...of course. Unless you are actually fabbing the chips, I don't think you get credit. But if you'd like to gloat on Wednesday when it's released...well, if that happens, go to town.